connect

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as in to associate
to think of (something) in combination opera is popularly connected with high society

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb connect differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of connect are associate, combine, join, link, relate, and unite. While all these words mean "to bring or come together into some manner of union," connect suggests a loose or external attachment with little or no loss of identity.

a mutual defense treaty connected the two nations

In what contexts can associate take the place of connect?

The meanings of associate and connect largely overlap; however, associate stresses the mere fact of frequent occurrence or existence together in space or in logical relation.

opera is popularly associated with high society

Where would combine be a reasonable alternative to connect?

The words combine and connect can be used in similar contexts, but combine implies some merging or mingling with corresponding loss of identity of each unit.

combined jazz and rock to create a new music

When is join a more appropriate choice than connect?

The words join and connect are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, join implies a bringing into contact or conjunction of any degree of closeness.

joined forces in an effort to win

When can link be used instead of connect?

While in some cases nearly identical to connect, link may imply strong connection or inseparability of elements still retaining identity.

a name forever linked with liberty

When is it sensible to use relate instead of connect?

While the synonyms relate and connect are close in meaning, relate suggests the existence of a real or presumed logical connection.

related what he observed to what he already knew

When might unite be a better fit than connect?

In some situations, the words unite and connect are roughly equivalent. However, unite implies somewhat greater loss of separate identity.

the colonies united to form a republic

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of connect That nucleotide flashes light in a characteristic color that identifies which base is being connected. IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2025 The crack of their connecting swings had seemed even louder all season, in the empty stadiums of baseball’s COVID-19 season. Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 This is how humans grow and develop and connect or disconnect. Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2025 Dancing is a way of connecting with the universe’s soul. Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for connect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for connect
Verb
  • Following the success, Google may be planning to integrate the image model into some of its other apps and services.
    Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2025
  • In those intervening 35 years, China had moved 800 million rural peasants — living in extreme poverty on US$2 a day — into city apartments and integrated them into the global economy.
    Peter Leyden, Big Think, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The answer against Florida and Missouri was McConkey, who had his two best games of the year, combining for 13 catches and 230 yards.
    Seth Emerson, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • In this case, the ACIP guidance formalizes an existing recommendation, which is designed to reduce a very rare, slightly elevated risk of seizures when the two shots are combined into a single injection.
    Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Rx Kids was also associated with a reduction in neonatal intensive care admissions, down 29% or 68 fewer admissions during the study period, another report found.
    Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • But the high-profile nature of the awards and the eye-popping figures associated with them are pushing board-level compensation committees that negotiate CEO pay to prepare for conversations about similar packages.
    Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Numerical simulations and a theoretical quantum model validated the experimental results, confirming that the two phonon modes were indeed in the ultrastrong coupling regime.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Forcing athletes to find new affordances within various constraints makes perception-action coupling more efficient.
    Jared Weiss, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Further investigation of human brain scans found that skull thickness had been altered by the tumors, particularly where bones fuse.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Cruz Beckham brought surrealist footwear codes to Paris Fashion Week on Friday, stepping out in JW Anderson’s frog loafers — a playful collaboration with Wellipets that fused PVC nostalgia with avant-garde design.
    Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Salmon said his counselor suggested his attraction to men was his father’s fault because his job kept him away from home a lot, causing Salmon to identify more with his mother.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
  • But that changed, and the case took a turn after two denizens of Nashville's street scene were identified as suspects.
    Keith Sharon, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • As industrial and urban systems become increasingly interconnected, attacks that exploit both physical and digital vulnerabilities are rising.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Later, telecom companies were required to let competitors interconnect rather than wall off their networks.
    Asad Ramzanali, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • However, sometimes, the right play happens for the correlating gossip.
    Charlotte Wilder, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • La Niña years have historically correlated with dry weather in California, but hotter conditions can also mean that precipitation arrives in the form of stronger, potentially hazardous storms, amplifying flood risks.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Connect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/connect. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on connect

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